International Toothpaste Museum

Translation: "extra-fresh pure". This has a very clean, almost astringent taste... think mouthwash. I like the aftertaste - it leaves my mouth feeling, as they say, extra fresh . Of course it falls into the minty category. The paste appears very similar to Aquafresh - but its taste is nothing like that! Odol-med3 is made in Germany and may not be available elsewhere. The glowing ice on the package might not be something you'd see in America; for some reason, ice and toothpaste are not a natural combination here. But I think that pairing is a good one. My friends John & Amy , who live in Germany, sent this one over. (Thank you!)

The English have generics down to a science. When we lived in the south of England for three years, every major grocery chain had at least one line of generic products, offering lower-priced products at often the same quality. Often there were more than one line of generics - an ultra-basic cheap line and a more deluxe line. Tesco Value toothpaste is generically generic - at least in terms of the package. Tesco is the largest grocery chain in the UK. They have expanded to many other parts of the world, including some stores in Nevada and California ("Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets" - which sound like an interesting concept - mixing a grocery store, convenience store and a health food market's ready-made meals section). My guess is that the US stores do not carry this toothpaste. Appearance: white paste. Taste? Surprisingly good! It's slightly sweet without being overly so. It contains flouride, of course. It would make a great daily-use paste. Thank you to E

Fructodent Gel is not my favorite toothpaste. Rose and violet flavored?! That's something you are meant to smell - not taste. And it tastes like it smells. It's also a funny pink-lilac colored gel. The packaging is completely in Italian. It was made in Italy too. "Healthy gums and strong teeth." I'm sure that is true. According to Cool Hunting , it was supposed to be available at CVS, Walgreens and Albertson's - but none of those stores near me carry any. You can get some on eBay - lemon sage flavor. So if you're longing for rose violet, you'll need to board the next plane bound for Italia. Finally, I must comment on the shape - it looks like a feminine product of some kind. (Since I'm not a woman, I don't know about those sorts of things.) This entry to the museum is again courtesy of my film producer friend Tom, who very kindly delivered it after his visit to Milano. And it is a very worthy entry - particularly due to the uniqueness of it